Parachute release



NOV. 2, 1948- -1, BUSH 2,452,990

PARACHUTE RELEASE Filed Oct. 1, 1945 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor .Nmr. 2may H.IH. BUSH 2,452,990

PARACHUTE RELEASE Filed Oct. 1, 1.945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 my Inventor 2 a ga 24mm A Attamejs Patented Nov. 2, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEPARACHUTE RELEASE so e H. Bush, Atlanta, Ga. Application October 1,1945, Serial No. 619,625

' 4 claims. (01. ere-13s) This invention relates to a parachute release,and more particularly to such a release adapted; to be actuatedautomatically upon striking the ground or similar obstruction.

A primary object of this invention is to provide automatic releasemechanism for parachutes, whereby the load carried by the parachute willbe released from the silk upon striking the ground, or the like.

. An additional object of the invention is the provision of sucharelease which will be promptly effective to disengage theload from theparachute silk immediately upon landing.

. A further object of the invention is the provision of'such anautomatic release provided. with manual release means, whereby the loadin the parachute may be disengaged manually if desired.

. Still another object resides inthe provision of such a device whichwill. be sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and eifi'cient inoperation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture,assemble and operate.

other objects: will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out. asthe description of the inventionproceeds and shownin the. accompanyingdrawings, wherein there is disclosed a prefer-red embodiment of thisinventive. concept.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side. elevational view of one form of release embodyingthe instant invention shown in association with a parachute and a loadsupported thereby,

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the releasemechanism per se,

. Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 ofFigure 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a top plan View, partially broke away. of a constructionaldetail,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of therelease mechanism,

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of an additional portion of therelease mechanism, and

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the center lineof a portion of the release mechanism as shown in Figure 6.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Havin reference now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure 1,there is generally indicated at H! a parachute of silk, or the like, andof conventional design provided with a plurality of depending cords I!secured at their 2' i lower extremity to a loop 12, formed in the end ofa member i=3, the lower extremity of which is suitably embedded andsecured to a ball I 4 (see Fig. 6).

Secured to the ball M, in a manner to be more fully describedhereinafter, is a cage or frame work, generally indicated at I 5,adapted to support the load it carried by the parachute. The cage l5consists of an outer frame comprised of av striker or impact plate l1and a top plate is secured together, as by longitudinally extending rodsis, held in position as by nuts 2c at the extremities thereof, and aninner frame includin a load-supporting plate H, and a top plate 22similarly connected by rods 23 and secured in related assembly as bymeans of nuts 24 on the extremities of the rods 23. The base plate orload-supporting plate 2! is provided adjacent its corners with aplurality oi apertures adapted toembrace the rods- 19 which serve asguides therefor, and correspondingly the rods 23 extend through suitablealigned apertures in the top plate $8 of the outer frame. Anintermediate I plate 26 of the inner frame is positioned below the platet8, and has depending therefrom a latching book 2'! to which the load isadapted to be secured.

From the foregoing will be:- tha'r there a limited relative play betweenthe and outer play being in a. relatively vertical direction, andlimited by the distance between the top plate 22 and the intermediateplate 26:. Obviously when the two cages supporting the load: it fall;the lower striking plate it strikes the ground first, and the weight ofthe load H? on the plate 2| causes the latter to move downwardly towardthe plate FE, which action obviously causes the upper plate 8 tomoveupwardly, which movement'- releases the latch means 34 holding theparachute H! to the frame work E5, in a. manner now to be described.

This movement of the plate l8 serves to move a latch rod 30, Figs. 2, 5,6 and 7, extending through an aperture in the top plate 22, which latchrod terminates at its upper extremity in a bifurcated portion 3|, thebifurcations of which terminate in inwardly turned latching members 32,the inner face of each of which is provided with a pair of indentations33, adapted to engage, when the rod 30 is in its lowermost latchingposition, protuberances 33' carried on opposite sldes of a pair ofoppositely disposed hemispherical members 34, each positioned on anarouate rod or stem 35, and adapted to embrace the ball II. The arcuatemembers 35 are pivotally secured, as b means of pivot pins 36, to lugs31 secured to the top portion of the plate 22.

A bracket 40 extends upwardly from an intermediate portion of the plate22 adjacent the rod 30, and is provided with an inwardly turned flange4i having an aperture therein through which the rod 30 passes. A coilspring 42 surrounds rod 30 and abuts with one end the flange 4|, andwith its other end a flange collar 43 pinned, as by' a pin 44, to rod30. Obviously, the arrangement is such as normally to bias the rod 30downwardly, and accordingly the notches 33 into engagement with theprotuberances 33' carried by the hemispherical members 34, thus servingnormally to latch the member 32 tightly about the ball I4, and thus holdthe load-supporting frame and the parachute in related assembly.

Positioned between the flange 4i and the collar 43 about the rod 30 is aplate 45 having an aperture 46 therein, to the extremity of which arepivotally secured, as on pivots 41, arms 48 (see Fig. 4). Arms 48terminate in loops 49 adapted to surround the arcuate members 35.

From the foregoing, the operation of the device should now be readilyunderstandable. When the plate I8 is forced upwardly in the manner previously described, it strikes the lower extremity of the rod 3!), whichin turn moves upwardly together with the flange collar 43 against thebias of the spring 42 to release the latching mechanism previouslydescribed, holding the hemispherical members 34 in related assembly withthe ball l4. Simultaneously, upward movement of the collar 43 strikingthe plate 45 causes the same to move upwardly, which in turn moves thearms 48 downwardly, which, through the loops 49, cause the separation ofthe arcuate members 35 and their associated hemispherical members 34.Thus it will be readily apparent that the parachute I is immediatelyreleased from the load-carrying frame i5, and that the frame IS with itsassociated load It remains Where it falls, regardless of any dragexerted by wind or the like against the parachute l0.

Under certain conditions, it may be desirable to release the parachutefrom the frame by manual means, which means take the form of a lever 50pivotally mounted, as by a pivot to a lug 52 extending from the side ofthe top plate 22. The lever is provided at one end with a handle 53, andat its other end with a link 54 which engages a suitable lug 55 securedadjacent the lower extremity of the rod 30. Obviously, downward pres-.sure exerted on the handle 53 will lift the rod 30' suitable straps maybe provided to secure the individual to the platform.

From the foregoing, it will now be seen that there is herein provided adevice accomplishing The following references are of record in the 4 allof the objects of this invention; and others, including many advantagesof greatpractical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as manymodifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to beinterpreted merelyas illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a release device, a parachute, a cord secured thereto, a ballsecured to the cord of said parachute, a load-carrying cage, a pair ofhemispherical members pivotally secured to said cage r adapted toencompass said ball, a latch securing said members about said ball, andan impact-operated trigger rod for releasing said latch, said cageincluding an inner frame having a top plate and an outer frame having atop, plate beneath said inner-frame top plate and an impact plate, insaid outer frame, the impact of saidimpact plate causing said top plateof the inner frame to actuate said trigger rod.

2. In a release device, a parachute, a cord secured thereto, a ballsecured to the cord of said parachute, a load-carrying cage, a pair ofhemispherical members pivotally secured to said cage adapted toencompass said ball, a latch securing said members about said ball, animpact-operated trigger rod forreleasing said latch, and spring meansbiasing said latch toward latching position.

3. In a release device, a parachute, a cord secured thereto, a ballsecured to the cord of said I parachute, a load-carrying cage, a pair ofhemispherical members pivotally secured to said cage adapted toencompass said ball, a latch securing said members about said ball, andan impact-ope about said ball, a trigger rod slidably secured in saidcage for releasing said latch and means exterior of said cage forreleasing said members from encompassing relation with said ball.

HOMER H. BUSH.

REFERENCES CITED file of this patent:

UN I'IED STATES PATENTS Number

